Thessaloniki

Seems strange that we chose to leave our beautiful beach sojourn and spend a day and night in the thriving metropolis of Thessalonia. Think it had something to do with direct flight prices to Rome.

Very nice penthouse on 7th floor in the city with a one person lift with manual door. Eric (wash boy) was on point and pushed 2 loads through the machine 😒 phew !!

Rach felt like cheesecake so we headed out into the heat and traffic and filled our stomachs and then watched NRL updates on YouTube on a BIG COUCH!!! (We'd forgotten the comfort) We drank the gifted bottle of yeasty/vinegary rosé. Can't say we're a fan but maybe didn't try the right Greek wines??

Dinner was loud and confusing and I thought I'd made friends with a spunky little waitress that tricked us into some horrible €12 fake limoncello and solvent. The Sheesha pipe did nothing to quell the queasiness and we left the young 'uns to enjoy coughing into their Sheesha with the hoarde of other 20 year olds.

Made the mistake of waking to a message at 2:30am and learnt of my dear Uncle Ted's passing. Only managed to return to sleep only after some Vitamin V's.

Grief is a funny thing and I've learnt not to impose any expectations. It's like an army grey mist descends and makes everything heavier. Our plan was to tour the city briefly and visit the old 200 AD churches built which were a welcome relief from the heat and dark enough to hide tears. One in particular had a big underground crypt but all too familiarly my shorts and bare arms were scolded and the Icons and gold mosaics were closing in.

BEWARE THE FEISTY GREEK gynaíka

Checking into foreign airports has turned into a battle between me (fighting for my family's lives and boarding passes) and these feisty young female desk clerks that claim they cannot accept our proffered papers until I insist and they call in the more senior clerks for a yelled exchange before they violently punch the keyboard and begrudgingly give us our passes.

RYANAIR

This day in particular we got a masked, gloved Attila that even scoffed at our passport sleeves and forced me to defend Eric's sweatiness.

Then the metal on my shorts set off the alarm in security and nothing would do but for another feisty to pat me down roughly in full view, no dignity offered.

Only the nice perfumes and duty free bottles could calm me with their solidity and we boarded our dodgy flight for Roma plus a few bottles.Read more